quote:"I know Sturridge well, I have watched him many times," Mancini says. "It was strange because he started out in Manchester and someone let him out of the club for nothing. Given the chance I think I would have liked to have kept him, but now he is at Chelsea we can do nothing. I know for sure he was one of the best young players that was here. I asked him last year when he played for Bolton why he left Manchester City and he said he didn't know."

quote:"If Sturridge was here today he would be playing in our first team," Mancini says. "This season he can arrive in the national team too. I understand the situation with young players, it is difficult for them to improve if they don't get the games they need, but it is better to send them on loan rather than lose them altogether."